Things you should know about the Third Round of the US Open Cup
Posted on 04. Sep, 2009 by Josh Hakala in 1995 - Present (Pro Era), Feature, Third Round
Since the expanded format in 1997, a PDL team has failed to reach the Third Round five times (1998, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010). The recent struggles can be attributed to the fact that in 2007, the format was changed so that all non-MLS teams began the tournament in the First Round, unlike previous tournaments where PDL teams were matched up with USASA or other PDL clubs.
The biggest rout in the Third Round during the Professional Era came in 2003, when the Virginia Beach Mariners defeated the Carolina Dynamo 5-0. Dante Washington and Roland Aguilera both scored twice for the Mariners.
The highest scoring Professional Era Open Cup game occurred in the Third Round on July 19, 2005 when the Richmond Kickers (USL-1) defeated the Ocean City Barons (PDL) 8-4. The game was played at Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond, Va., a week after the original match was re-scheduled due to bad weather. The Barons scored first in the 4th minute, but Richmond stormed back with four goals in less than 20 minutes. With the score 4-1, Ocean City scored a pair of goals on either side of halftime to cut the lead to one. At that point, Neil Holloway, the Barons player/manager made some offensive-minded substitutions and pushed for the equalizer, but at that point, the flood gates opened and Richmond scored four more in the second half, and the game would finish 8-4. The previous total goals record was shared by a pair of games. In 1995, the Seattle Sounders (A-League, now USL-1) defeated the Everett BigFoot (USISL Pro, now USL-2) 9-2 and in 1999 the San Diego Flash (A-League) cruised past the Arizona Sahuaros (D3 Pro, now USL-2) by the same score.
In 2007, a record five MLS teams were upset in the Third Round, with only three clubs advancing to the next round (a record low for MLS teams).
On three occasions, a pair of USL Second Division clubs have won Third Round games in the same tournament. In 2007, the Richmond Kickers (1-0 win vs. Los Angeles Galaxy) and the Harrisburg City Islanders (1-0 win vs. DC United) were victorious. Two years later, in 2009, the Wilmington Hammerheads won another Third Round match (their fourth) and with the Harrisburg City Islanders, they were the second pair of USL-2 teams to reach the Quarterfinals in the same season. In 2010, the City Islanders made it two years in a row, upsetting the New York Red Bulls 1-0 in overtime, while the Charleston Battery (who moved down to USL-2 after several years in USL-1) eliminated the Chicago Fire of MLS in a penalty kick shootout after a scoreless draw.
Only four USL-2 clubs have ever won Third Round matches:
Wilmington Hammerheads (2003, 2006, 2007, 2009)
Harrisburg City Islanders (2007, 2009, 2010)
Richmond Kickers (2007)
Charleston Battery (2010)